Monday, 24 March 2014

High Fashion, High Style - The Work Of Carolyn De La Drapiere

One of the things I absolutely love is being able to discover new and interesting brands. When I was in attendance at the Definition Of Size Art Exhibition last year, not only did I meet some amazing people, I was introduced to a designer that I had never heard of before.

Carolyn Draper was one of the generous people to make a donation to the event. An item of clothing worth an amazing £200 was to be given to the lucky winner who participated in the raffle fundraiser. When my name was pulled from the hat I was so excited and I couldn't wait to go down to the studio and try on some of the amazing items in store...

Here I am pictured wearing the Light Silk Chiffon Fancy Kaftan and the Slinky Silk Camisole With Beaded Detail. I absolutely love these 2 items together, they feel so light and soft on and I find them to be really versatile pieces. The Kaftan could be worn on it's own with simple black lingerie underneath but if you would like a little more coverage then a cami underneath is most definitely the way to go.

I decided to take quite a sophisticated and fancy item and pair it with casual black jeans from the New Look Inspire range and flat shoes. I love the ruffled detail on the neckline and sleeves and I decided to keep the look very casual chic. A cute bag, or accessories could be matched to this one if worn on a night out or something. For me this has made it's way into my wardrobe as a staple piece which I can easily dress up for a fancier occasion or wear as a more casual item.

The other item I selected was this Nepoleon II shirt in white. I am seriously lacking in shirts and when I saw this one I knew it would be perfect for work or a formal occasion of some kind. Made from 100% weave cotton the fit, feel and quality is fantastic and for me this shirt made me feel ready for business! I decided to wear this one with more of a casual feel and so I paired it with my black jeans from Junarose with diamanté calf detail.

Carolyn has a thing for funky and interesting cuffs and collars within her clothes and this shirt also came with the signature feature. The sharp cut of the cuff I feel gives the shirt that little something extra.

The lovely Carolyn herself

Carolyn prides herself on creating high end garments made from the best possible fabrics. Carolyn learned to design and make clothes at a very young age as her very own mother is an extremely talented seamstress and dress maker. Born in New Zealand, raised in Australia and travelling all over before settling here in the UK; she has seen and done many amazing things and I imagine, discovered many beautiful styles and fabrics along the way.

When I took a trip down to her studio I was able to leaf through loads of the beautiful gowns, one piece items and fresh fabrics that are yet to be used. The gorgeous silks, cottons and other materials come direct from France and Italy and many of them have been used in the same collections as Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and many other well known designers.

It was refreshing for me to see that plus size women can buy pieces of the highest quality and style either off the shelf or customised for those special occasions that come up. I have to say I was so impressed with the attention to detail I saw whilst at the studio and I felt like a kid in a candy store! Carolyn and her lovely assistant Sian spent a lot of time with me in the store talking me through each piece that caught my eye and I was even lucky enough to go into the cutting room and see some of the amazing pieces being created!

How gorgeous are these fabrics?! The mix of colour is just beautiful.

This dress is just beautiful! I can imagine this being worn at a wedding, Ascot or some other formal affair. It's just gorgeous and the detail is amazing!

What was clear to me from meeting Carolyn and her team is that every single customer who walks through the door is made to feel special. The personal touch is applied to everyone that they speak to and I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at the store. In truth I would have been happy to stay even longer than I did! It was nice to be in an environment where the needs of the customer are equally as important as the designing and manufacturing of the pieces. The items I had received were beautifully wrapped and were given the De Le Drapiere golden seal...

One thing that myself, Carolyn and Sian all said throughout the day is that we wish plus size women would be more willing to just take a few more risks with fashion. I have been saying this a lot recently and I am sticking by it because I myself now own several garments I would have been too scared to even try on last year! Fashion should be about personality, style and quality. Way too many people think they have to stick to some strange boundaries that have been set by people they don't even know! I personally think it's a real shame!

To see more of Carolyn's beautiful pieces and the brand new collection, click here for the website.